Laserfiche WebLink
issues. <br /> <br />Special Meeting of the City Council <br />September 17, 2002 <br />Page 7 <br /> <br />He stated that there are six employees less in the Street Department. <br /> <br />In response to Councilman's Plata's question regarding curb repair, Mr. <br />Townsend stated that his staff handles the small repairs, driveway inlets and <br />things of that nature. He contracts out the big programs and getting ready for <br />overlays is part of the program. <br /> <br />Councilman McCarthy stated that he had previously suggested cutting the <br />proposed one-and-one-half percent pay increase to three-fourths of one percent, <br />and posed a question with regard to the cost of a 1% cost-of-living increase. <br /> <br />Mayor Pfiester suggested doing something that would mean a lot to the <br />employees and that is to let the employees contribute more to their retirement. <br /> <br />Mr. Anderson informed the Council that a 1% increase in salary would be <br />approximately $285,158.00. Mr. Anderson advised that it would cost <br />approximately $120,000.00 to $130,000.00 to increase the retirement <br />contribution by 1%, which includes the General Fund and the Water and Sewer <br />Fund. Mr. Anderson said that one of the largest requests that he receives from <br />city employees is an opportunity to contribute more to the retirement plan. At <br />this time the employees are contributing 5% and the Texas Municipal <br />Retirement System allows contributions at 5%, 6%, and 7%. <br /> <br />The consensus of the City Council was to reduce three police officer positions <br />from the Police Department, six firefighter positions in the Fire Department, <br />include a three-fourths of one percent pay increase, increase from 5% to 6% <br />contributions to the Texas Municipal Retirement System, and include all of the <br />suggested decreases in line items in the budget. This was done by a unanimous <br />show of hands of all of the Council Members. <br /> <br /> <br />